Biometric Enrolment for Foreign Nationals

Dear Mr Brown

You ref: AJME-8FFJNN

Thank you for your request for information received on 28 March 2011, which
we are considering under the Freedom of Information Act. Under the Act you
should expect a reply from us to be sent by 27 April 2011, which is twenty
working days from receipt of your request.

If for any reason we are unable to provide you with a full response within
that time, we will contact you explaining the reasons for this and giving a
revised date by which we will reply.

If in the meantime you have any questions or would like to contact us about
your request, please contact us by telephone 01923 215110 or alternatively
email or write to us at the address below. Please be assured that we are
giving this our attention and will get back to you shortly.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Moore
[Royal Mail Group request email]
Freedom of Information Unit, Post Office Ltd
PO Box 2060, Watford, WD18 8ZW

Post Office Ltd is registered in England and Wales. Registered No. 2154540.
Registered Office 148 Old Street, London, EC1V 9HQ. Post Office and the
Post Office logo are registered trade marks of Post Office Ltd.

Alex Brown
<request-66739-11d79d5a@whatdoth To: FOI requests at Royal Mail Group <[Royal Mail Group request email]>
eyknow.com> cc:
Sent by: Alex Brown Subject: Freedom of Information request - Biometric Enrolment for Foreign Nationals
<request-66739-11d79d5a@whatdoth
eyknow.com>

28/03/2011 19:25

Dear Royal Mail Group Limited,

This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information
Act. For your Biometric Enrolment for Foreign Nationals service
please provide the following information for each month since the
service was launched:
- The number of counters available for biometric enrolment
- The number of enrolments undertaken

Yours faithfully,

Alex Brown

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Dear Mr Brown,

Our Ref: AJME-8FFJNN

I am writing in response to your email received by Post Office Limited on
28 March 2011 in relation to Biometric Enrolment Services which I am
dealing with under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. (the
Act)

In your email you have requested the following information;

1. The number of counters available for biometric enrolment

The number current of counters available for biometric enrolment is 16 with
an additional terminal currently being added at our Golders Green Branch,
which will be operational in the very near future, taking the counters
available to 17.

2. The number of enrolments undertaken

I can confirm that Post Office Limited does hold information relevant to
your request; however, Post Office Limited considers information on the
number of enrolments to be exempt from disclosure under Section. 43 (2) of
the Act, concerning likely prejudice to commercial interests.

Commercial Interests

An example of how it is likely that Post Office Limited’s interests would
be prejudiced by the disclosure of this information is how its volume and
pricing information has the potential to be exploited by its competitors.

Public Interest

Section 43(2) is a qualified exemption and therefore the public interest
test must be applied. This involves weighing the balance of public interest
in maintaining the exemption or releasing the information. Post Office
Limited understands that there is public interest in promoting the
transparency and understanding of matters which affect the public. However,
there is also public interest in allowing the normal course of commercial
activity to take place. On balance in our view, the greater public interest
lies with maintaining the exemption.

Further details on how our Biometric Enrolment for Foreign Nationals works
can be found at:
http://www2.postoffice.co.uk/counter-ser...

I do hope the information I have provided is of use on this occasion. If I
can be of further help, or you have any queries about this response, please
contact me via the email address [Royal Mail Group request email].

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of this response, you do have a
right to request an internal review. Internal review requests should be
submitted to;

Head of Information Compliance
Royal Mail Group
Company Secretary's Office
100 Victoria Embankment
LONDON
EC4Y 0HQ
[Royal Mail Group request email]

If, having requested an internal review by Royal Mail, you are still not
satisfied with our response you also have a right of appeal to the
Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Telephone: 01625 545 700
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Yours sincerely

Peter Johnson
Information Manager
PO BOX 2060
Watford Mail Centre
WATFORD
WD18 8ZW
01923 215110

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Dear Mr Brown

Re: Internal Review under the Freedom of Information Act

Thank you for your email received 21/04/2011 requesting an internal review
of Royal Mail Group’s reply to your request for information under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000. This is receiving our attention and we
will write to you again once the internal review has been concluded.

In accordance with guidelines from the Information Commissioner’s Office,
Royal Mail will answer all appeals and requests for internal review of FOI
requests as soon as it reasonably can. This will usually be within 20
working days and in any case no later than 40 days from receipt of the
appeal (21/04/2011).

In the mean time if you have any questions or would like to add any further
information for consideration then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

MF Khushi
Company Secretary's Office

Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group Ltd. Registered in England
and Wales.
Registered number 4138203. Registered office at 100 Victoria Embankment,
LONDON, EC4Y 0HQ

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Dear Mr Brown,

Please find attached a response to your request for an internal review by
Royal Mail Group. I apologise for the length of time taken to respond to
you on this matter.
(See attached file: Brown IR Reply.doc)
Yours sincerely

Colin Young
Information Governance Team
[Royal Mail Group request email]

Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group Ltd. Registered in England
and Wales.
Registered number 4138203. Registered office at 100 Victoria Embankment,
LONDON, EC4Y 0HQ

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